1 Observe H8104 the month H2320 of Abib, H24 and keep H6213 the passover H6453 unto the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 for in the month H2320 of Abib H24 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 brought thee forth H3318 out of Egypt H4714 by night. H3915
The feast H2282 of unleavened bread H4682 shalt thou keep. H8104 Seven H7651 days H3117 thou shalt eat H398 unleavened bread, H4682 as I commanded H6680 thee, in the time H4150 of the month H2320 Abib: H24 for in the month H2320 Abib H24 thou camest out H3318 from Egypt. H4714
This day H3117 came ye out H3318 in the month H2320 Abib. H24
This month H2320 shall be unto you the beginning H7218 of months: H2320 it shall be the first H7223 month H2320 of the year H8141 to you. Speak H1696 ye unto all the congregation H5712 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 In the tenth H6218 day of this month H2320 they shall take H3947 to them every man H376 a lamb, H7716 according to the house H1004 of their fathers, H1 a lamb H7716 for an house: H1004 And if the household H1004 be H1961 too little H4591 for the lamb, H7716 let him and his neighbour H7934 next H7138 unto his house H1004 take H3947 it according to the number H4373 of the souls; H5315 every man H376 according H6310 to his eating H400 shall make your count H3699 for the lamb. H7716 Your lamb H7716 shall be without blemish, H8549 a male H2145 of the first H1121 year: H8141 ye shall take H3947 it out from the sheep, H3532 or from the goats: H5795 And ye shall keep H4931 it up until the fourteenth H702 H6240 day H3117 of the same month: H2320 and the whole H3605 assembly H6951 of the congregation H5712 of Israel H3478 shall kill H7819 it in H996 the evening. H6153 And they shall take H3947 of the blood, H1818 and strike H5414 it on the two H8147 side posts H4201 and on the upper door post H4947 of the houses, H1004 wherein they shall eat H398 it. And they shall eat H398 the flesh H1320 in that night, H3915 roast H6748 with fire, H784 and unleavened bread; H4682 and with bitter H4844 herbs they shall eat H398 it. Eat H398 not of it raw, H4995 nor sodden H1310 H1311 at all with water, H4325 but roast H6748 with fire; H784 his head H7218 with his legs, H3767 and with the purtenance H7130 thereof. And ye shall let nothing of it remain H3498 until the morning; H1242 and that which remaineth H3498 of it until the morning H1242 ye shall burn H8313 with fire. H784 And thus H3602 shall ye eat H398 it; with your loins H4975 girded, H2296 your shoes H5275 on your feet, H7272 and your staff H4731 in your hand; H3027 and ye shall eat H398 it in haste: H2649 it is the LORD'S H3068 passover. H6453 For I will pass H5674 through the land H776 of Egypt H4714 this night, H3915 and will smite H5221 all the firstborn H1060 in the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 both man H120 and beast; H929 and against all the gods H430 of Egypt H4714 I will execute H6213 judgment: H8201 I am the LORD. H3068 And the blood H1818 shall be to you for a token H226 upon the houses H1004 where ye are: and when I see H7200 the blood, H1818 I will pass H6452 over you, and the plague H5063 shall not be upon you to destroy H4889 you, when I smite H5221 the land H776 of Egypt. H4714 And this day H3117 shall be unto you for a memorial; H2146 and ye shall keep H2287 it a feast H2282 to the LORD H3068 throughout your generations; H1755 ye shall keep it a feast H2287 by an ordinance H2708 for ever. H5769 Seven H7651 days H3117 shall ye eat H398 unleavened bread; H4682 even H389 the first H7223 day H3117 ye shall put away H7673 leaven H7603 out of your houses: H1004 for whosoever eateth H398 leavened bread H2557 from the first H7223 day H3117 until the seventh H7637 day, H3117 that soul H5315 shall be cut H3772 off from Israel. H3478 And in the first H7223 day H3117 there shall be an holy H6944 convocation, H4744 and in the seventh H7637 day H3117 there shall be an holy H6944 convocation H4744 to you; no manner of work H4399 shall be done H6213 in them, save H389 that which every man H5315 must eat, H398 that only may be done H6213 of you. And ye shall observe H8104 the feast of unleavened bread; H4682 for in this selfsame H6106 day H3117 have I brought H3318 your armies H6635 out of the land H776 of Egypt: H4714 therefore shall ye observe H8104 this day H3117 in your generations H1755 by an ordinance H2708 for ever. H5769 In the first H7223 month, on the fourteenth H6240 H702 day H3117 of the month H2320 at even, H6153 ye shall eat H398 unleavened bread, H4682 until the one H259 and twentieth H6242 day H3117 of the month H2320 at even. H6153 Seven H7651 days H3117 shall there be no leaven H7603 found H4672 in your houses: H1004 for whosoever eateth H398 that which is leavened, H2556 even that soul H5315 shall be cut off H3772 from the congregation H5712 of Israel, H3478 whether he be a stranger, H1616 or born H249 in the land. H776 Ye shall eat H398 nothing leavened; H2556 in all your habitations H4186 shall ye eat H398 unleavened bread. H4682
And in the fourteenth H702 H6240 day H3117 of the first H7223 month H2320 is the passover H6453 of the LORD. H3068
And it came to pass, that at midnight H2677 H3915 the LORD H3068 smote H5221 all the firstborn H1060 in the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 from the firstborn H1060 of Pharaoh H6547 that sat H3427 on his throne H3678 unto the firstborn H1060 of the captive H7628 that was in the dungeon; H1004 H953 and all the firstborn H1060 of cattle. H929 And Pharaoh H6547 rose up H6965 in the night, H3915 he, and all his servants, H5650 and all the Egyptians; H4714 and there was a great H1419 cry H6818 in Egypt; H4714 for there was not a house H1004 where there was not one dead. H4191 And he called H7121 for Moses H4872 and Aaron H175 by night, H3915 and said, H559 Rise up, H6965 and get you forth H3318 from among H8432 my people, H5971 both ye and the children H1121 of Israel; H3478 and go, H3212 serve H5647 the LORD, H3068 as ye have said. H1696 Also take H3947 your flocks H6629 and your herds, H1241 as ye have said, H1696 and be gone; H3212 and bless H1288 me also. And the Egyptians H4714 were urgent H2388 upon the people, H5971 that they might send H7971 them out of the land H776 in haste; H4116 for they said, H559 We be all dead H4191 men. And the people H5971 took H5375 their dough H1217 before it was leavened, H2556 their kneadingtroughs H4863 being bound up H6887 in their clothes H8071 upon their shoulders. H7926 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did H6213 according to the word H1697 of Moses; H4872 and they borrowed H7592 of the Egyptians H4714 jewels H3627 of silver, H3701 and jewels H3627 of gold, H2091 and raiment: H8071 And the LORD H3068 gave H5414 the people H5971 favour H2580 in the sight H5869 of the Egyptians, H4714 so that they lent H7592 unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled H5337 the Egyptians. H4714 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 journeyed H5265 from Rameses H7486 to Succoth, H5523 about six H8337 hundred H3967 thousand H505 on foot H7273 that were men, H1397 beside H905 children. H2945 And a mixed H6154 multitude H7227 went up H5927 also with them; and flocks, H6629 and herds, H1241 even very H3966 much H3515 cattle. H4735 And they baked H644 unleavened H4682 cakes H5692 of the dough H1217 which they brought forth H3318 out of Egypt, H4714 for it was not leavened; H2556 because they were thrust out H1644 of Egypt, H4714 and could H3201 not tarry, H4102 neither had they prepared H6213 for themselves any victual. H6720 Now the sojourning H4186 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 who dwelt H3427 in Egypt, H4714 was four H702 hundred H3967 H8141 and thirty H7970 years. H8141 And it came to pass at the end H7093 of the four H702 hundred H3967 H8141 and thirty H7970 years, H8141 even the selfsame H6106 day H3117 it came to pass, that all the hosts H6635 of the LORD H3068 went out H3318 from the land H776 of Egypt. H4714 It is a night H3915 to be much observed H8107 unto the LORD H3068 for bringing H3318 them out from the land H776 of Egypt: H4714 this is that night H3915 of the LORD H3068 to be observed H8107 of all the children H1121 of Israel H3478 in their generations. H1755
Thou shalt keep H8104 the feast H2282 of unleavened bread: H4682 (thou shalt eat H398 unleavened bread H4682 seven H7651 days, H3117 as I commanded H6680 thee, in the time appointed H4150 of the month H2320 Abib; H24 for in it thou camest out H3318 from Egypt: H4714 and none shall appear H7200 before H6440 me empty:) H7387
In the fourteenth H702 H6240 day of the first H7223 month H2320 at even H6153 is the LORD'S H3068 passover. H6453
Let the children H1121 of Israel H3478 also keep H6213 the passover H6453 at his appointed season. H4150 In the fourteenth H702 H6240 day H3117 of this month, H2320 at even, H6153 ye shall keep H6213 it in his appointed season: H4150 according to all the rites H2708 of it, and according to all the ceremonies H4941 thereof, shall ye keep H6213 it. And Moses H4872 spake H1696 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 that they should keep H6213 the passover. H6453 And they kept H6213 the passover H6453 on the fourteenth H702 H6240 day H3117 of the first H7223 month H2320 at even H6153 in the wilderness H4057 of Sinai: H5514 according to all that the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses, H4872 so did H6213 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 16
Commentary on Deuteronomy 16 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 16
De 16:1-22. The Feast of the Passover.
1. Observe the month of Abib—or first-fruits. It comprehended the latter part of our March and the beginning of April. Green ears of the barley, which were then full, were offered as first-fruits, on the second day of the passover.
for in the month of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee out of Egypt by night—This statement is apparently at variance with the prohibition (Ex 12:22) as well as with the recorded fact that their departure took place in the morning (Ex 13:3; Nu 33:3). But it is susceptible of easy reconciliation. Pharaoh's permission, the first step of emancipation, was extorted during the night, the preparations for departure commenced, the rendezvous at Rameses made, and the march entered on in the morning.
2. Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover—not the paschal lamb, which was strictly and properly the passover. The whole solemnity is here meant, as is evident from the mention of the additional victims that required to be offered on the subsequent days of the feast (Nu 28:18, 19; 2Ch 35:8, 9), and from the allusion to the continued use of unleavened bread for seven days, whereas the passover itself was to be eaten at once. The words before us are equivalent to "thou shalt observe the feast of the passover."
3. seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread—a sour, unpleasant, unwholesome kind of bread, designed to be a memorial of their Egyptian misery and of the haste with which they departed, not allowing time for their morning dough to ferment.
5, 6. Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates—The passover was to be observed nowhere but in the court of the tabernacle or temple, as it was not a religious feast or sacramental occasion merely, but an actual sacrifice (Ex 12:27; 23:18; 34:25). The blood had to be sprinkled on the altar and in the place where the true Passover was afterwards to be sacrificed for us "at even, at the going down of the sun"—literally, "between the evenings."
6. at the season—that is, the month and day, though not perhaps the precise hour. The immense number of victims that had to be immolated on the eve of the passover—that is, within a space of four hours—has appeared to some writers a great difficulty. But the large number of officiating priests, their dexterity and skill in the preparation of the sacrifices, the wide range of the court, the extraordinary dimensions of the altar of burnt offering and orderly method of conducting the solemn ceremonial, rendered it easy to do that in a few hours, which would otherwise have required as many days.
7. thou shalt roast and eat it—(See on Ex 12:8; compare 2Ch 35:13).
thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents—The sense of this passage, on the first glance of the words, seems to point to the morning after the first day—the passover eve. Perhaps, however, the divinely appointed duration of this feast, the solemn character and important object, the journey of the people from the distant parts of the land to be present, and the recorded examples of their continuing all the time (2Ch 30:21 35:17), (though these may be considered extraordinary, and therefore exceptional occasions), may warrant the conclusion that the leave given to the people to return home was to be on the morning after the completion of the seven days.
9-12. Seven weeks shalt thou number—The feast of weeks, or a WEEK OF WEEKS: the feast of pentecost (see on Le 23:10; also see Ex 34:22; Ac 2:1). As on the second day of the passover a sheaf of new barley, reaped on purpose, was offered, so on the second day of pentecost a sheaf of new wheat was presented as first-fruits (Ex 23:16; Nu 28:26), a freewill, spontaneous tribute of gratitude to God for His temporal bounties. This feast was instituted in memory of the giving of the law, that spiritual food by which man's soul is nourished (De 8:3).
13-17. Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days—(See on Ex 23:14; Le 23:34; Nu 29:12). Various conjectures have been formed to account for the appointment of this feast at the conclusion of the whole harvest. Some imagine that it was designed to remind the Israelites of the time when they had no cornfields to reap but were daily supplied with manna; others think that it suited the convenience of the people better than any other period of the year for dwelling in booths; others that it was the time of Moses' second descent from the mount; while a fourth class are of opinion that this feast was fixed to the time of the year when the Word was made flesh and dwelt—literally, "tabernacled"—among us (Joh 1:14), Christ being actually born at that season.
15. in all the works of thine hands … rejoice—that is, praising God with a warm and elevated heart. According to Jewish tradition, no marriages were allowed to be celebrated during these great festivals, that no personal or private rejoicings might be mingled with the demonstrations of public and national gladness.
16. Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God—No command was laid on women to undertake the journeys, partly from regard to the natural weakness of their sex, and partly to their domestic cares.
18-20. Judges and officers shalt thou make—These last meant heralds or bailiffs, employed in executing the sentence of their superiors.
in all thy gates—The gate was the place of public resort among the Israelites and other Eastern people, where business was transacted and causes decided. The Ottoman Porte derived its name from the administration of justice at its gates.
21. Thou shalt not plant thee a grove—A grove has in Scripture a variety of significations—a group of overshadowing trees, or a grove adorned with altars dedicated to a particular deity, or a wooden image in a grove (Jud 6:25; 2Ki 23:4-6). They might be placed near the earthen and temporary altars erected in the wilderness, but they could not exist either at the tabernacle or temples. They were places, which, with their usual accompaniments, presented strong allurements to idolatry; and therefore the Israelites were prohibited from planting them.
22. Neither shalt thou set thee up any image—erroneously rendered so for "pillar"; pillars of various kinds, and materials of wood or stone were erected in the neighborhood of altars. Sometimes they were conical or oblong, at other times they served as pedestals for the statues of idols. A superstitious reverence was attached to them, and hence they were forbidden.